Cardinal Parolin: Giorgio La Pira, a great worker for peace

“The Word of God was the source and criterion of his judgment”. His gaze was focused on the “needs of the poor”. His commitment as a legal expert, politician, mayor of Florence and his ceaseless, forward-looking activity for peace “ were the fruits of his cultivated spirituality. In these words, Cardinal Pietro Parolin yesterday recalled the figure of the Servant of God Giorgio La Pira forty years after his death.

At the presentation in the lower Chamber of the Italian Government of the book Con La Pira inViet Nam (With La Pira in Vietnam) by Mario Primiciero, Cardinal Parolin spoke of this extraordinary man in whom “we detect the flavour of the prophet”, one who identified new paths. But he is also noted as a “great politician” who may too easily be misunderstood by those who, less sharp-sighted than he, “do not grasp the depth and truth of his intuitions”.

His commitment to prayer, said the Cardinal, went hand in hand with his political activity, especially for peace. The juridical value of peace which he wanted to see stamped on the Italia Constitution, Parolin went on to say, “could be identified only as an aspect of the basic principle of the value of the human individual”. La Pira, he added, “had experienced the truth of the Gospel, living as a poor man with the poor and as a peaceful worker for peace”.

Cardinal Parolin pointed out that “The centre of Giorgio La Pira’s thinking on the value of the human individual was shown in his promotion of peace as a means of safeguarding basic rights”. In conclusion, he pointed out that La Pira’s message “asks the political world and every citizen” to go beyond the frontiers of a nation “so that the human family may have a shared life in peace”.

Translation of the article 'Il card. Parolin: Giorgio La Pira, grande operatore di pace' on the Radio Vaticana website on 17 luglio 2017
“The Word of God was the source and criterion of his judgment”. His gaze was focused on the “needs of the poor”. His commitment as a legal...

<em>Translation of the article <a href="http://it.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/07/14/card_parolin_su_giorgio_la_pira_grande_operatore_di_pace/1325060" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"</a></em>Il card. Parolin: Giorgio La Pira, grande operatore di pace<em>" on the </em>Radio Vaticana<em> website on 17 luglio 2017</em>
“The Word of God was the source and criterion of his judgment”. His gaze was focused on the “needs of the poor”. His commitment as a legal expert, politician, mayor of Florence and his ceaseless, forward-looking activity for peace “ were the fruits of his cultivated spirituality. In these words, Cardinal Pietro Parolin yesterday recalled the figure of the Servant of God Giorgio La Pira forty years after his death.
At the presentation in the lower Chamber of the Italian Government of the book <em>Con La Pira in</em> <em>Viet Nam</em> (With La Pira in Vietnam) by Mario Primiciero, Cardinal Parolin spoke of this extraordinary man in whom “we detect the flavour of the prophet”, one who identified new paths. But he is also noted as a “great politician” who may too easily be misunderstood by those who, less sharp-sighted than he, “do not grasp the depth and truth of his intuitions”.
His commitment to prayer, said the Cardinal, went hand in hand with his political activity, especially for peace. The juridical value of peace which he wanted to see stamped on the Italia Constitution, Parolin went on to say, “could be identified only as an aspect of the basic principle of the value of the human individual”. La Pira, he added, “had experienced the truth of the Gospel, living as a poor man with the poor and as a peaceful worker for peace”.
Cardinal Parolin pointed out that “The centre of Giorgio La Pira’s thinking on the value of the human individual was shown in his promotion of peace as a means of safeguarding basic rights”. In conclusion, he pointed out that La Pira’s message “asks the political world and every citizen” to go beyond the frontiers of a nation “so that the human family may have a shared life in peace”.
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